Method for forming a medium having data storage and communication capabilities

Abstract

A method for forming a medium having a substrate is formed have a patterned surface with a channel pattern and a transponder having a memory is provided in the channel pattern. A conductive material is deposited in the channel pattern with the conductive material operatively associated with the transponder.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]Reference is made to commonly assigned co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 256,824 filed herewith, entitled Medium Having Data Storage and Communication Capabilities and Method For Forming Same, by Kerr et al. filed on Dec. 27, 2002; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 256,769, entitled Medium Having Data Storage and Communication Capabilities and Method For Forming Same, by Kerr et al. filed on Dec. 27, 2002; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 161,514, entitled Virtual Annotation Of A Recording On An Archival Media by Kerr et al. filed on Jun. 3, 2002.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates in general to the field of mediums and more particularly to mediums having electronic memory associated therewith.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Thin mediums of material such as paper, film and fabric have many useful applications. Often images and information are recorded on such mediums. Where information regardin...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

For example, a poor bond or poor mechanical joint between the RFID tag and the item can result in separation of the RFID tag from the item.

This can defeat the purpose of joining the RFID tag to the item.

Further, joining an RFID tag to an item increases the cost of the combined RFID tag and item because the RFID tag must include the cost of both the base and the fastener and the cost of labor associated with joining the RFID tag to the item.

These costs can become significant where RFID tags are to be joined to a multiplicity of individual items, such as for example, individual sheets of a medium such as film or paper.

Accordingly, such RFID tags have a non-uniform cross-sectional area.

The non-uniform cross-section of the tag can make the tag vulnerable to incidental damage to contact during manufacturing, printing, use, storage and distribution.

Further, such RFID tags can interfere with the appearance and use of the item.

These techniques, however, are not feasibly applied to the task of forming a thin medium such as paper, film and fabric.

The addition of a clamshell type structure known in the art is not practical or economically feasible in this type of production.

The alternative lamination approach of the prior art is also not preferred because the increased thickness and uneven cross section caused by the presence of RFID electronics and antenna sandwiched between laminations can interfere with subsequent fabrication processes causing damage to fabrication equipment, the RFID electronics, the antenna or to the medium itself.

Further, this uneven cross section can interfere with imaging equipment when a laminated medium having the RFID electronics and antenna is passed through equipment such as a printer that uses a medium after formation.

This interference can damage the RFID tag, the medium and the equipment that uses the medium.

The uneven cross section also can create a less than desirable appearance for the medium and images that are subsequently recorded thereon.

Also, the antenna required to allow communication with the RFID electronics can cause the medium to be considerably larger and higher in cost if the medium is required to be transparent such as would be required for mediums such as an x-ray, an overhead or a lenticular or other display.

However, it can be difficult to use such printing techniques to form high density patterns of conductors on a medium particularly at high volume media production rates.

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